Ruth 1:6-22

“Return to Bethlehem”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Ruth 1:6-22

With the disastrous events in Moab recently in the rear view mirror, there are decisions that need to be made. Should these newly-widowed women stay in Moab and try to make a go of it? Should they go somewhere and get a fresh start? Should they return to Bethlehem? There is often a multitude of decisions that must be made right on the heels of loss and in the midst of grief, and that’s where these women find themselves. Let’s see what decisions they make and why they make them as we move forward in the story.

I.                 The Decisions Made By Naomi    Ruth 1:6-9, 11-13, 15, 18, 20-21

a.      In light of the recent death of both Naomi’s husband and her two sons, they have an important decision that must be made. That decision is where these women will live the rest of their lives. It would appear that there are few choices for Naomi to make as far as what to do going forward. She is not going to be able to stay in the land of Moab. The choice of Elimelech to come here in the first place was full of potential issues, but with his death and the death of his sons staying was out of the question.

b.     The current paragraph that begins with Verse 6 gives us the answer to where she is going to go from here. Naomi is going to return to Bethlehem. Apparently, both Orpah and Ruth did not question their own duties to accompany their mother-in-law, though it meant that they were leaving their own homeland, extended families, etc.

c.      But why is Naomi leaving Moab and heading back to Bethlehem? There seems to be only one reason given at this point: it is because of the fact that Lord has ended the famine in the land back home. How she has heard in the land of Moab that the Lord has evidently “visited” His people and cured the famine is unknown, but this is the news. And for the very same reason that Elimelech moved his family to Moab (food and physical well-being), we now see Naomi returning to Bethlehem.

d.     Very quickly into Verse 7 we have the beginnings of the journey of 50 miles, we have the travelers (Naomi, Orpah and Ruth), and we have their desired destination (Bethlehem of Judah).

e.      The first recorded conversation of the journey begins in Verses 8-9. There is a lot of speculation for the reasons behind the conversation that begins here. There is clearly an affection that Naomi has for her two daughters-in-law that is demonstrated. This is clear from the fact that Naomi desires both the kindness of the Lord and the comfort of their mothers for each of the young women. But here are a few thoughts that are worth noting here that would possibly indicate some of Naomi’s thoughts at this point:

                                                    i.     The fact of the matter was that the land of Moab was full of idol and pagan worship. If Naomi really loved these young women, why didn’t she insist on them returning to a place where there was a much greater chance for the blessings of God than where she insists that they return?

1.     Is it the difficulty of the journey and the fact that she is reminded of her own trek into a foreign land and its difficulties?

2.     Is it the fact that they were young and there would be little if no chance of a man marrying a Moabite woman in and around Bethlehem?

3.     Is it her own pride in that returning to Bethlehem with two Moabite women would be proof positive of the marriages of her two sons in violation of God’s prohibition against it?

4.     Is it that she is mad at God for visiting all of this on her and her heart condition drives her words?

f.      Whatever is going on, we have Naomi continuing her insistence that they return home even after kisses, tears, and their initial refusal. Verse 11-13 offers a very strange, but logical, conversation that will conclude with an important insight into Naomi’s thoughts at this point.

g.     Naomi shares some interesting reasons for the two women’s return to their home in Moab. The very tone of these comments offers insight into Naomi’s heart condition at this point:

                                                    i.     She asks them if they think she is pregnant and that these twins will be the replacement husbands for Orpah and Ruth.

                                                  ii.     She tells them that she is too old to have a husband.

                                                iii.     She tells them that even if she did have hope and a husband and were to become pregnant tonight with twins it would too long for them to wait, unmarried, for these sons to become their husbands.

                                                iv.     She tells them that even with the difficulty before them, their situations are better off than her own in that the Lord is against her.

h.     After more tears and kisses, and a decision by Orpah to return Naomi continues in Verse 15 to try and persuade Ruth of the best decision on her part.

i.       As we move forward, Verse 18 reports that Ruth is not going to return to her people which causes Naomi to eventually give up trying to convince her. Whether it is the curse of death that Ruth pronounces on herself if it doesn’t happen this way, or just the determined commitment that Ruth displays, we don’t know.

j.       Finally, we have in Verses 20-21 Naomi offering to the women of Bethlehem her feelings on all that has occurred and the reasons for those events. God, the Almighty, has it in for her! He has visited trouble on her. She has no right to continue being called by her given name Naomi, which means “pleasant”. She is not pleasant, she is BITTER! Why?  Because she left Bethlehem with her husband and two sons full (interesting in that a famine was going on and they were hungry) and now the Lord has returned her empty! The Lord has afflicted her and even witnessed against her in the heavens. She is miserable and bitter. Her name Naomi is nothing to her but a reminder of her previous life. What is going on now hardly deserves a name like “pleasant”, does it?

k.     So what are some of the decisions being made by Naomi at this point in the story?

                                                    i.     She is going to return to Bethlehem.

                                                  ii.     She is encouraging her two daughters-in-law to return to Moab.

                                                iii.     She is convinced that God is against her.

                                                iv.     She is wallowing in the events that have occurred in her life recently.

II.               The Decisions Made By Orpah and Naomi    Ruth 1:10, 14, 16-17

a.      After the initial conversation from Naomi about the two young women returning to their homeland of Moab, Verse 10 gives us the account of the women’s first decision. That decision was that they would not return to Moab, but stay and accompany Naomi in her return to Bethlehem.

b.     After more “reasoning” from Naomi, we have a split decision from the young women. We have Chilion’s wife, Orpah, deciding that for whatever reason Naomi is insisting on her return to Moab that it is probably the best idea available at the moment. Verse 14 offers nothing more than the decision itself and the sign of that decision; a kiss for Naomi. Verse 4 and 14 offer the only mention of Orpah in the entirety of Scripture.

c.      But as Verse 14 continues to unfold, we have the decision of Mahlon’s wife also recorded. Ruth decides that she will stay with Naomi. What follows in Verses 16-17 is one of the most beautiful confessions of faith and loyalty that is contained in all of the Bible. Ruth’s life and her priorities are going to be shared here. How a woman in a pagan land could have been influenced to this kind of confession and faith is interesting to consider. Most assuredly at a better time, Naomi herself had an effect on her in regard to faith and following. Note the things that Ruth says to her mother-in-law, concluding with a curse on herself if it doesn’t happen this way:

                                                    i.     “Where you go, I will go” – Even if it is to a land that she has never been nor does it hold the horizontal benefits of home.

                                                  ii.     “Where you lodge, I will lodge” – Not only will she go with Naomi, she will also stay with her.

                                                iii.     “Your people, my people” – Even though she had never met them.

                                                iv.     “Your God, my God” – A confession of her own faith that had once been demonstrated in the life of Naomi.

                                                  v.     “Where you die, I will die and be buried” – This decision is for the rest of her life.

d.     So what are the decisions that Orpah and Ruth have made thus far in the story?

                                                    i.     They begin with a commitment to follow Naomi to Bethlehem.

                                                  ii.     Orpah decides to return home.

                                                iii.     Ruth decides to continue on to Bethlehem, demonstrating both faith in Naomi and in God.

III.             A Time Mark To Assist Us    Ruth 1:22

a.      After a brief summary of the events of the journey and return to Bethlehem, we are told that they returned at the beginning of barley season. This will give us a pathway into chapter 2. We will move our attentions from the country of Moab to the fields around Bethlehem, the town where Ruth and Naomi now reside. But there is another person of note that resides in “the house of bread”. His name is Boaz.

IV.            An Application For All Of Us

a.      The choices that we make in this world have consequences.

b.     We misunderstand God’s plan when we interpret God’s love for us by our circumstances.

c.      When we demand resolution of all problems in our way, we forget that this world is not the arena for final justice.

d.     Even when we feel abandoned by God, His attention is never off of us.

e.      Remember:

                                                    i.     God has been faithful in the past; He will supply your needs in the present and into the future.

                                                  ii.     Allow others to minister to you when you are hurting.

                                                iii.     Do the right thing even when it hurts.

                                                iv.     Trust the Lord with your difficulties and problems.